How to Cure Heartbreak
by darkwoodsdreamer
Summary: Lily has broken Severus's heart. His 'friends' 'help' him to get over it.


**AN: Sorry I didn't get the AN in right away - I uploaded this about 10 seconds before I had to go and I just didn't have the time. Anyways, this was written for Week 2: Archery in Camp Potter II. The prompt was, "Write about the end of a friendship.". **

* * *

Severus sat on the floor, leaning his back against his bedpost. He swished the liquid in his butterbeer bottle. Of course, there wasn't any butterbeer in it any longer. They'd stolen the bottles from The Hog's Head and used them for firewhiskey now. Sometimes other boys would come in, hearing they had alcohol, but then snort and leave when they saw the butterbeer bottles. It had been Severus's own idea, and since then he had been known as the clever one in the group. Not that that was a difficult title to achieve; it was like calling yourself smart because you solved a maths problem a group of trolls couldn't figure out.

He took another sip and grimaced. He didn't much like the stuff, but it got him drunk quicker than anything else. Nott took a long gulp of his own. "I don't see what you're so worked up about." He said. "It's not like she's any good."

Avery nodded. "She's just a mudblood, Severus, what's the big deal?"

"It's not." Severus said quickly. Eyebrows rose all around. "It's just… she's a traitor! I went out of my way to be nice to her, and this is how she repays me?"

Mulciber shrugged. "Mudbloods are all the same. Once they get it in there head's that they're as good as us, that's it. No more reasonin' with 'em."

"She's a bitch, Sev, just give it up." Nott agreed.

Severus was barely listening. "What about that Potter?"

"Here we go again." Avery muttered into his bottle before taking another sip.

"No, I'm serious!" Severus said, leaning forward. "He's a pureblood, and he's chasing this Muggle-born girl who I- who he can't have. Don't we have some sort of duty to put a stop to it?"

Mulciber looked interested. "He's got a fair poin', he does. Why don't we do anything 'bout it?"

Nott hit him over the side of the head. "Because, you idiot, anything you'd have in mind would no doubt be illegal. Even if he does deserve it."

"Disgusting blood traitor." Severus agreed. He went to take another swig of his firewhiskey, but found the bottle to be empty. "Nott, pass me the firewhiskey." Nott fumbled around under his own bed until he found the larger bottle and passed it to him. There was always plenty of alcohol in this dorm, so Severus had no qualms about filling his bottle all the way up. He'd no idea where it all came from, but he didn't bother to ask. He'd rather know nothing should they be caught. "All I'm saying is there must be something we can do to punish him."

Avery set his bottle down and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. He looked him directly in the eyes, and Severus thought he saw the glint of something he didn't like there. "Y'know, I think the only reason you're fighting so hard about this is that you want her for yourself." He said, his voice low. The others intoned a low, 'Oooooooh', before laughing. Severus's ears burned red. He tried to look as offended as possible by the statement.

"That's not true!"

Nott cackled. "Liar! You've gone all red"

"Shut up, Nott! I happen to know you've got your own perverse interest in Muggle girls." Nott shrugged and sipped his alcohol.

"Nothing wrong with wanting to fuck 'em." He said.

Severus relaxed. "Well, if there's nothing wrong with it, why are you making a big deal out of it?"

"So you do want 'er!" Severus threw the closest thing he could find, a potions book, at Mulciber's head. He ducked and snickered.

Avery took out a hackisack and started tossing it in the air, a habit Severus often wanted to punch out of him. "If you want her, why don't you just take her?" He suggested.

Severus had a sudden urge to dangle him out the window with _Levicorpus_. He clenched his fist and thought quickly, trying to decide what to say. "Because," he started, then hesitated a split second. "I'd get in trouble."

"On'y if you get yourself caugh'."

'And I should take that risk, should I?" He snapped. "I'd rather get a good, pureblood girl than risk getting expelled for… for putting a Mudblood in her place." He had to control the wince even as he said it. He'd never do something like that to Lily, never even consider it, because she was special to him. He couldn't tell these morons about that, though. Assuming they were intelligent enough to understand might be giving them too much credit, but he wasn't going to take the risk.

Nott nodded. "If one'll take you, that is." Severus turned his glare on him, and Nott held up his hands in surrender. "I'm not saying you're no good, Snape, don't take it like that. You're a catch. It's just," He lowered his voice and continued a little more delicately, "you're a half-blood and all. Some girls might not like that."

Severus snorted, then considered it for a moment. "Guess you're right." He allowed with a grumble. "'Suppose I don't need a pureblood. Another half-blood will do too, so long as she shares the same sentiments and what not."

"Don't lower your standards because of this idiot!" Avery chastised him, knocking Nott over the side of the head.

"Ow!" he exclaimed, rubbing his face. "I'm not saying he shouldn't go for one. I'm just being realistic." He pulled his hand away from his head and studied his hand, then touched his head again. "That hurt, you arse."

Avery ignored him. "If he has a pureblood girl and that goes anywhere, the blood of the kids would be purer too. Eventually you could breed the Muggle out." Severus nearly choked on his drink.

"Kids?" he sputtered. "Since when was this about marriage? I thought we were just talking about girlfriends!" Mulciber, Avery and Nott all gave him the same, unidentifiable look. "What?"

"Y'know how pureblood paren's are, Snape." Mulciber said slowly, as though he was talking to an idiot. "They marry their girls off quick as 'ey can, and if yeh dated one at Hogwar's, tha's gonna make yeh an ideal match, innit? Girls'll fight it less."

The other's nodded. "If you make it official with them now, they'll remember you when it comes time to settle down." Nott put it.

Severus grumbled. "That makes no sense. Just because two people work together when they were thirteen doesn't mean they will when they're thirty."

The others shrugged. "'Course it doesn't." Avery said. "It just sounds better. 'My darling husband and I were Hogwarts sweethearts!'" Avery said in a high voice, batting his eyelashes. They laughed at the imitation. "We couldn't wait to get married after school, and our parents of course gave us their blessing right from the start!" He dropped the act and took a swig of alcohol. Severus rolled his eyes.

"I still think it's stupid." The others shrugged.

"We're jus' sayin', mate." Mulciber said. "Screwin' around wit Mudbloods is fine, but don' let it git out. Yeh don' want the good girls thinkin' you want anythin' more wit one."

Severus shifted uncomfortably, but said nothing more. They drank in silence for a few minutes more. Finally, Nott put aside his bottle and clamored to his feet, now somewhat unsteady. "Y'know what you need, Snape?" he said, pulling Severus to his feet as well. "To get yourself a good girl. C'mon, it's still early. There's plenty down in the commons you can have."

Severus had no desire to go along with this, but didn't really see what choice he had either. He hesitated a moment, before sighing. "Yeah, alright." he agreed. "Who, though?"

Nott shrugged. "Dunno. Anyone you particularly fancy?" he asked. Severus shrugged and shook his head. "Well, just go up to one then and ask her out."

"Somehow," Severus said dryly, "I get the feeling that a date isn't all you want me to be looking for here." Nott laughed, which was interrupted by a hiccup. He slapped him hard on the back, almost hard enough to throw him off center.

"You're too observant for your own good, Snape. You're right, and I know just the girl for you." He motioned for him to follow him to the commons, and with a sigh Severus went along. How bad could it really be, after all? He'd power through it, and after that the guys would leave him alone. He would be free to pine after his friend (_ex-friend, _he reminded himself with a pang) in peace.

Avery and Mulciber followed them down, and sure enough Nott was right. There were plenty of girls milling about the commons. None of them spared the group of swaggering, tipsy 5th years a second glance, though, except a few giggling first and second years. Immediately, not pointed them out. "What about one of them?" he asked. "I'm sure they'd be willing enough."

Severus made a face. "They're 11 or 12, 13 at best! We're 15! Their practically children, Nott." Nott shrugged, as though he didn't understand why he would be opposed to it. He looked around some more.

"Alright, that one." he said, pointing to a fourth year girl. When Severus's eyes found her, she quickly looked away, staring hard down at her book. "She's been looking at you all week."

"Really?" Severus asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

Mulciber nodded. "I've seen it, too." he told him. "Can' understand what she sees in yeh, though."

"Well, if even you could see it, it must be true." He snapped back. Nott and Avery snickered. "How do you know this girl is any good anyways?" He asked, turning back to Nott.

"Her mail."

"You read her mail?"

He hit Severus in the shoulder. "No, you git. I mean she gets a lot of mail. Presents and the sort, and expensive ones too. That means she's got a rich family. The richer the family, the purer the blood generally."

Severus was impressed. "And you say I'm observant." he said. "How'd you notice that anyway?"

"Started watching her when she started watching you. Didn't want you falling in with the wrong kind of girl, so had to make sure she was appropriate, didn't I?" Severus didn't like the glint in his eye. It spoke of control, like he thought Severus was just some pawn to move as he pleased.

"Alright, Mother." he said sarcastically.

Nott pulled a rubber band out of the sleeve of his robe and handed it to snape. "Tie up your hair." he instructed him. "Girls like that. Plus, it's a mess."

Severus cocked an eyebrow at the rubberband. "Why do you have that- actually, don't tell me." he said, taking it and pulling his hair through it in a messy attempt at a ponytail. "I have a feeling I don't want to know."

Nott studied his face scrutinizingly. "Good." he said after a minute. Then, he gave him a push on the back. "Now go chat her up. Or don't you know how to do that?"

"Of course I know how to chat up a girl." he said dismissively. It was a lie, of course. He'd never tried, not even with Lily. In theory, he knew how it worked. You went up to a girl, spoke with her, and she would suddenly decide that she would like nothing more than to be fucked by you. Or something like that.

He approached slowly, trying to look casual. He noticed her watching out of the corner of her eye, and her expression was one of hope and pleasure. This encouraged him, and he took the chair opposite of her. "Hello."

"Hello." Her voice was high and melodic. She smiled at him and put her book down.

Severus had no idea where to go from there. "What're you reading?" he asked her.

She held up the book so he could see the cover. "Hogwarts, A History." he read aloud. "Is it for a paper?" She shook her head.

"I got it for a paper last year and then never touched it again. I got bored, so I picked it up."

"Why didn't you just go to the library? They've got dozens of copies of 'Hogwarts, A History'."

She grinned mischievously. "I was banned for… inappropriate behavior last year." She told him. "I convinced them to lift it this term." Severus didn't ask how, but he did send an evil glare over towards his friends. So that's why they'd sent him to this one. She had a reputation, and it was obvious that she was proud of it. Which was fine for her, but Severus wasn't all that interested. "So, how can I help you?" She asked, leaning forward slightly. He was willing to go on a date, see how things turned out, but this wasn't quite what he had signed up for.

"I…" He faltered. He wasn't able to meet her eyes. "I mean… What I wanted was..." Merlin, was this awkward for him. He unconsciously pulled at his collar.

She smiled sympathetically and sat back. "You were put up to this, weren't you?" His breath returned to him. He nodded, eyes still firmly fixed on the opposite wall. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw a small, sad smile cross her lips. "I thought so. You never were the type." She nodded towards his friends. "They think it's a right laugh, they do, sending poor boys like you over to see what you can get out of me."

Severus hadn't quite realized it at the time, but now kicked himself for not knowing. Of course that was what they were trying to do. When was the last time they'd done something nice for someone out of the goodness of their hearts? When was the last time any Slytherin had? "So then, you're not…?"

"No, course I am, don't be silly. But it's not a game." She jerked her head in the direction of Nott, Avery and Mulciber, all of whom were too busy with what looked like betting to notice. _Betting on me and whether I'll get any, _Severus thought bitterly. "They don't understand. They've never been without money, never lived the poor life. What I bring in keeps my family afloat." She studied him a moment, head cocked. "You understand though, don't you?"

He felt his cheeks go red. "I've never-" he began indignantly, but she interrupted him, waving his protests away with a single hand.

"Not what I meant, Snape." she clarified. "I just mean you know what it's like to, you know, do what needs doing if it means helping your loved ones." He just looked at her, not sure how to respond. Should he admit growing up with barely enough to go around? Or should he deny it, say he was just as rich and ignorant as his friends in the corner? Everyone would know it was a lie, but it looked better among this lot to beat down people by being self-righteous. "You don't have to tell me." she said with a shrug after a minute.

Silence fell. Severus tried not to look as awkward as he felt. Here he was, having casual conversation with an honest-to-god prostitute, one whom had entirely legitimate motives that he could sympathize with, and he didn't have a single snarky comeback. Any sort of intelligent remark, sarcastic or otherwise, seemed to have fled from his mind. For once, he understood how Nott and the others felt all the time - utterly braindead.

"I never got your name." he said after a while, stalling. She flashed him a pretty smile.

"It's Emerald, Emerald Leeks." He held out his hand.

"Severus Snape." he said, although she obviously already knew his name; she'd just used it.

She returned to her book and he walked back to his friends. "No luck?" Avery asked as he approached. He thought about telling them the truth, that he hadn't wanted what they were going for in the first place and had he known what they were really trying to do he wouldn't have agreed. Besides, Emerald was a nice girl and they shouldn't be treating her like this. He held his tongue and simply shook his head.

"Any other ideas?" he asked. They thought for a moment.

"Wanna get roarin' drunk?" Mulciber suggested.

Nott grinned. "I was working on that before this moron butted in with his Mudblood loving problems." Severus punched him in the arm. They headed up the stairs and proceeded to do exactly as Mulciber had suggested.


End file.
